When people think of court reporters, they typically think of courtrooms and trials. But court reporters are in demand anywhere the spoken word needs to be recorded. This includes at law firms, in public buildings and government agencies, and at private companies.
In Charlotte alone, there are a variety of different job opportunities and employment options for court reporters. For instance, you can work as a freelance court reporter, an official court reporter, or a reporter employed by a Charlotte court reporting agency.
Regardless of the path you choose to take, one of the benefits you’ll enjoy as a court reporter is the competitive pay. In Charlotte, for instance, the median salary is $50,490 for court reporting experts; while in Raleigh, the median salary is a touch above, at $50,898.
With that said, finding a job as a court reporter isn’t as easy as just filling out an application. Here’s a look at some of the steps you’ll have to take in order to break into Charlotte’s court reporting field.
Preparing for Charlotte Court Reporting Jobs
First, those who employ court reporting professionals in Charlotte generally like to see court reporters with degrees or certificates from accredited court reporting schools. Training at one of these schools will also go a long way in preparing you for your day-to-day responsibilities on the job. These programs typically take anywhere from two to four years to complete.
While there are currently no requirements in North Carolina when it comes to state licensure, employers also generally call for either a Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification from the National Court Reporters Association or a Certified Verbatim Reporter (NCRA) from the National Verbatim Reporters Association (NVRA) in order to obtain an entry level position as a court reporter.
However, to become an Official Superior Court Reporter in North Carolina, you will be required to hold an RPR certification and maintain continuing education credits through the NCRA. The NCRA offers a number of opportunities to earn these credits both over the phone and online.
Finding Charlotte Court Reporting Jobs
Once you’re ready to start looking for a job as a court reporter, the North Carolina Court Reporters Association is a good place to start. Once you join the organization, you will have many opportunities to network with other court reporters and learn about possible job leads. You can also look online for job openings or join a court reporting agency in Charlotte.
After you do start working as a court reporter, there are several steps you can take to advance your career. For instance, you can establish your expertise with a certification, such as a Registered Diplomate Reporter, a Certified Legal Video Specialist, or a Certified Broadcast Captioner. You should also commit to practicing your new craft on a regular basis and reading the news in order to stay current on world events, as well as expand your vocabulary.
If you’d like to learn more about getting a job in Charlotte’s court reporting field, give us a call. As the national leader in court reporting and litigation support services, Huseby has many established clients and a steady flow of work. As a result, we are always on the lookout for talented professionals to join our team.
